Former Police Chief Wins Gender Discrimination Lawsuit

People work many different jobs in California and there are many different requirements for those jobs. These requirements are based on education levels, experience, the ability to work different hours or at different locations, the ability to drive and many other requirements.

However, people of all genders are capable of working every job. Determining whether a person is able to meet the requirements cannot be based on a person’s gender.

However, there are many instances when women are treated differently than men. This is what occurred to a woman who was the former police chief at a local police department.

While she was police chief, she stated that the police department was mostly male and she felt like she was simply there so the city could say they had a female police chief. She stated that she was undermined in front of subordinates and she was harassed by comments made by a city council member who stated women could not perform the job of police chief. The member allegedly made comments of a sexual nature about her.

The former police chief won the lawsuit she filed, and a jury awarded her $7 million. Not only was she compensated for the damages, but she also felt vindicated by the fact that the police department was held accountable.

This lawsuit demonstrates the gender discrimination and harassment that women can face in the workplace. Such discrimination is illegal, and the victims of the discrimination may be entitled to compensation, which can include actual monetary damages and punitive damages.

Unfortunately, women in the workplace sometimes still find themselves in male dominated industries and experience discrimination and harassment that they should not endure. Experienced attorneys understand the difficulties in proving these cases and may be a useful resource.